Henri Matisse is born again. To celebrate the artist’s exceptional legacy and the 150th anniversary of his birth, Matisse’s great-grandchildren had a luminous, and colourful idea: fund Maison Matisse with the aim to create unique collections that reflect the master painter’s vision. Henri Matisse spoke of ‘an art with balance and purity that doesn’t disquiet or disturb, so that the tired man can enjoy peace and quiet in front of his painting’. Such is the intent of Maison Matisse, which will unveil the first pieces during FIAC, Paris this week.
‘We wanted to avoid creating any by-products and revive the spirit of Henri Matisse. For us, it meant collaborating with expert designers and artisans to imagine bold shapes and showcase unparalleled savoir-faire,’ explains Jean Matthieu Matisse, who has been working on the project for a decade.
The selected designers he thought had a real talent with volumes, shapes and colours: the late Alessandro Mendini, Jaime Hayon and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. ‘We wanted the collection to reflect different cultures, styles and techniques: each designer represents a singular approach and praises a unique know-how. Heritage and legacy were, of course, the starting point but we were also looking for a contemporary edge, talents that would instigate bold emotions.’ Each was given a carte blanche to imagine a limited-edition object, and granted access to documents and archives.
Above, a model of Alessandro Mendini’s Lucente design inside Atelier Sarri.
Without further guidance, all three designers chose to design a vase. For the late Alessandro Mendini, he cited that ‘first purity and then light’ came to mind. ‘For me, the elements Matisse works with and that inspire his imagination are plant leaves in their vases, the furniture and objects occupying domestic spaces, women nude or dressed, all intertwined within a decorative space festooned with arabesques. I reflected on a complex, sinuous and organic form, as if it involved conceptual leaves, with silhouettes drawn from the structure and the geometry of some of his paintings.’ The vase’s delicate fabrication was entrusted to Florentine master craftsman Alessio Sarri.
Valencia-based Jaime Hayon based his designs on ‘fantastical elements: forms, silhouettes and natural references that conflate and float in a sea of colours. Tradition and audacity come together.’ The three distinct vases were made – using ancient techniques – by Bosa, an artisanal factory located in the Venetian mountains.
‘Vases Fenetre ’ by Studio Bouroullec
Meanwhile, the Bouroullec brothers’ series of vases ‘translates the concept of a window open to the outside.’ Terracotta, anodized aluminium and glazed ceramics were associated in three combinations to picture a window as if one gazed onto a landscape. A resolutely bright window into the past.
Following this first chapter, Maison Matisse’s permanent collection will be launched early 2020.
INFORMATION
-
La Monique brings the French Riviera to Santa MonicaA transportive room of velvet, candlelight, and Riviera chic, serving French favourites with a modern wink
-
Kat Milne is the designer behind fashion’s most intriguing retail spacesInfused with elements of the surreal, Kat Milne has designed stores for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Sandy Liang and A24. ‘People are looking for a more tactile experience,’ she tells Wallpaper*
-
A refreshed 1950s apartment in East London allows for moments of discoveryWith this 1950s apartment redesign, London-based architects Studio Naama wanted to create a residence which reflects the fun and individual nature of the clients
-
Best of Design Miami Paris 2025: animal sculptures and musical ping-pong tablesDesign Miami Paris returns to the Hôtel de Maisons (until 26 October 2025): here are the Wallpaper* highlights
-
Rajan Bijlani opens his Primrose Hill home for ‘Electric Kiln’In his London home – once the studio of ceramicist Emmanuel Cooper – Rajan Bijlani stages ‘Electric Kiln’, uniting Frank Auerbach, Lucie Rie and Cooper in an intimate reflection on the creative spirit of postwar London
-
‘100 Years, 60 Designers, 1 Future’: 1882 Ltd plate auction supports ceramic craftThe ceramics brand’s founder Emily Johnson asked 60 artists, designers, musicians and architects – from John Pawson to Robbie Williams – to design plates, which will be auctioned to fund the next generation of craftspeople
-
The animals came in two by two, hurrah!Jonathan Baldock’s ‘WYRD’ menagerie takes up residence at Scotland’s Jupiter Artland for the summer
-
Alessi Occasional Objects: Virgil Abloh’s take on cutleryBest Cross Pollination: Alessi's cutlery by the late designer Virgil Abloh, in collaboration with his London studio Alaska Alaska, is awarded at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023
-
Design Miami 2022: highlights from the fair and around townDesign Miami 2022 (30 November – 4 December) aims at ‘rebooting the roots of our relationship with nature and collective structures, ecospheres, and urban contexts’
-
Salon Art + Design 2022: design highlights not to missWallpaper* highlights from Salon Art + Design 2022, New York
-
Design Week Lagos 2022 celebrates creativity and innovation in West Africa and beyondCurated by founder Titi Ogufere, Design Week Lagos 2022 is based on a theme of ‘Beyond The Box’
